Palmer, along with other members of his hunting group, decided to lie and say the bear was killed within the permitted area if interrogated by authorities, according to US Attorney John Vaudreuil, who became involved after Palmer transported the carcass across state lines.

“As soon as the bear was killed, Palmer and the three guys he was with – guides – they agreed they would lie about it,” Mr Vaudreuil told US ABC News program 20/20.

“He [Palmer] was offering to pay, it turns about, about $20,000 to keep the others who were in the hunt, to have them lie, so that’s a fairly aggressive cover-up”.

According to court documents Palmer pleaded guilty in 2008 to charges of making false statements to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

He paid nearly $US3000 (AU $4,066) in fines and was sentenced to a year of probation.